Story:The Day Hanji was Happy/2
< Previously “No.” Sokutei didn’t even look up at Hanji or Concord when asked to help, focusing instead on her own notes and comparing data she had gathered alongside research notes from other members of the Luminous Society. This wasn’t the first and certainly wouldn’t be the last time that Hanji would attempt to drag her into one of these crazy schemes. Too many times had these crazy ideas got awry for her to just simply agree to it, especially since there was rarely anything new for her to learn in the process. “But I haven’t even told you the plan!” Hanji whined, pouting a bit as Concord stepped forward. “Your job would only be confirmation. Everyone will be kept at a distance during the experiment.” Concord assured, with Iae in the back watching everything unfold. Thankfully Hanji was talked out of carrying her around, but that was the highlight of this event thus far. Although, at least Hanji was being polite this time. With a sigh, Sokutei finally looked up to them and adjusted her glasses. “So, what is it that you’re doing, then?” She asked, internally wondering why she keeps letting herself get brought into these things. Little good has come of them, so far. The biggest things they’ve learned through Hanji’s personal research is how to synthesize the manikins, and that the most qualified person to do so is unfortunately arguably the least responsible member of the Luminous Society. Nevermind that she’s using them as pets and guard dogs. “It’s super simple!” Hanji started, already getting a worried look from Sokutei. “The hypothesis is that manikins have emotions, and thus Artemis can influence them. So I’m going to get Artemis to have a live concert for everyone, and Concord is going to help me set up a sound system so that the manikin pin can receive the music. If there’s a noticeable change in behavior, we’re going to back you up testing to see if anything’s changed. “And if there isn’t?” Sokutei raised a fair question that Hanji hadn’t quite thought about. Thankfully, Concord had a swift answer. “Then we’d just need to try again with Artemis in person. Bringing him to the manikin ranches might not be easy, however, due to the stories he’s undoubtedly heard about Hanji.” “Wait, what stories?” Hanji grew more worried than anything else, unlike the usual annoyance she would have given towards the situation. Sokutei merely pushed up her glasses slightly to rub her eyes, deeply sighing at the lack of awareness. “Details of your previous actions in a harsh, but honest light.” Concord answered simply. “Such as the time you decided the best way to help Reni train was to send him against the mob you use for Zadimortis.” Iae reminded, “Which just so happens to be stronger than the usual fair.” “Or maybe when you decided that the best way to test Ekram’s cannons was to send a horde after him.” Sokutei pointed out, bringing her attention back to her previous studies. “Ah, what about when she decided to steal some of Cinis’ alchemy equipment to test on the manikins to see how they’d respond to various compositions?” Concord piped up, feeling her previous answer was insufficient. To these accusations, Hanji did the most out of character thing yet: stay mostly quiet. On a normal day -- with a normal Hanji -- she would have voiced counter complaints, justifications, and otherwise caused a scene in response to such tales. However, instead she just solemnly looked to the ground. “I… I did all of that, yeah.” She quietly admitted, keeping her face hidden from anyone else. The words came to a bit of a shock to everyone, with Sokutei looking back up at her. “Everyone must think I’m a bitch, huh? A real maverick, just doing my own things irregards to what anyone else says or thinks.” She turned her head away from Sokutei once she felt the girl’s gaze fall back upon her. “Nothing quite says “jolly cooperation” like theft or cheating, yeah?” “Hanji…” Iae walked over to try and get a better look at whatever was going on with Hanji, only to see her walk off a little bit so that she wasn’t facing anyone. “To think… that I consider people here friends, especially you three, and I do very little in return. Talk about being a colossal bitch, right?” She turned her head slightly so the others could better hear her, but her face was still being kept intentionally hidden. “Hanji, stop.” Sokutei interrupted the self wallowing tangent, turning in her chair to face Hanji fully. “If your presence was detrimental to us, you wouldn’t be here. Seriously, it’s not as bad as you think.” Concord was about to say something, when both Sokutei and Iae glared at the robot. Feeling an odd sense of hostility, Concord silently retracted the unsaid statement before attempting to calculate what they possibly could have done to upset the two. “Or I’m just tolerated, and everyone is glad I stick to my manikin pens outside of the library most of the time anyways.” Hanji spat out, glancing back at Sokutei with a tearfilled gaze. One that was foreign to the three, as Hanji wasn’t exactly known for self awareness; let alone self esteem issues of any kind. “That’s not it at all. While it’s good someone’s watching over those manikins, your work has been helpful to us in the long run. A difference in work ethic doesn’t make you a bad person.” Iae assured, starting to walk towards Hanji again before noticing Concord stepping forward. “My stupid jokes have nothing to do with-” Hanji turned to yell back at anyone, but was swiftly interrupted by a very awkward robot hugging her. In that moment, Hanji simply lost the ability to speak due to the surprise of it all. “This unit has… observed that when people are sad, they touch each other like this.” Concord spoke rather bluntly. A delayed, nervous laugh from Hanji responded back before turning into a more genuine one. Concord was prepared to get hugged in return, and Hanji definitely did hug back, but the laughter not so much. “Oh Concord…” Hanji spoke quietly, continuing to laugh while no longer hiding that she had been crying up until now. She’d now fully embraced the already awkward Concord and continued to speak with an equally uncharacteristic soft look in her eyes. “Sorry guys… I got a little caught in my own head for a bit there. Guess all these realizations from Art’s music is getting to me.” Sokutei went wide eyed for a moment, taking advantage of Hanji looking elsewhere to turn towards Iae. “Wait, Artemis ''did ''this?” She asked in a hushed tone, seeing Iae silently nod in reply. Sokutei muttered something under her breath before clearing her throat and standing up. “Alright… I’m in.” “I know I keep dragging you into stuff, so if you don’t want to that’s fine.” Hanji commented idly, having misheard her newest recruit. “I’m in, so lets get started before I change my mind.” Sokutei reiterated, now a bit self conscious about how harsh she might have been. A normal Hanji would have deserved the flat refusal, but she’d never stoop so low as to fake an emotional breakdown just to get her way. She’s too proud to do that. Or, so Sokutei hoped. It’d be easier to accept that this was Artemis’ music at work, rather than Hanji finding a new low just to get her experiments done. “That’s fine, I- wait, you are?” Hanji asked, finally letting go of Concord. The robot was relieved to find herself free of the embrace, wondering why Hanji had held her for so long. After all, an acceptable hug was typically only a few seconds long. Sure, a full embrace like that tended to be longer, this one clocked in at over 22 seconds. Far too long for normal acceptable behavior, yet the other two made no mention of the odd amount of time it took. This, too, is a mystery worth looking into later. “Yeah, much as I don’t want to.” Sokutei didn’t dare mention that she’d mostly been swayed by the emotional outburst. “Besides, I’m only confirming your thesis, so it seems more tame than the usual stuff you sign me up for.” It was really, really hard not to be blunt and harsh with the woman who’d nearly gotten her killed on several occasions because she decided to skimp the safety procedures and go in without fully considering her own experiment. “Oh, thank you!” Now it was Sokutei’s turn to get hugged, which she took about as well as Concord. Definitely not something she’d get used to any time soon, at the very least. Although she’d love to get used to being thanked for helping out, instead of it just being assumed she can be talked into whatever’s going on. “Your welcome…” She replied, patting Hanji’s back before gently pushing her off. Another look towards Iae to silently confirm that this was the same person, and she’d been convinced Artemis was a powerful mage of some kind to get Hanji to act this way. “Well, anything else need be done?” Iae asked as Hanji pulled away from Sokutei. “Yep! Now it’s just to get the RSVP list of everyone who’ll show up! As well as figure out the best place to have the concert to begin with!” Hanji answered gleefully, looking around at her dear friends. “Have you talked to Art about this? A live concert doesn’t sound like something he’d do on a whim.” Sokutei pointed out. “Or even thought of where to have it? The library likes being quiet.” “Nope and no.” Hanji admitted, gazing skyward between a look of dejection and thoughtfulness. “I kinda left before mentioning it in the first place to him, and I never thought about where.” Another disgruntled sigh from Sokutei before she took a deep breath and prepared to play team manager. “I’ll talk to Art about it. Concord, mind finding the best place outside the library to have a live concert?” She asked, with the robot nodding. “Of course. Acoustics and ease of access with be determined to find the ideal location.” Concord replied, looking to the rest. “I’ll be in the cartography room once everyone’s ready.” After all, she had gone in there before with another purpose in mind. Best to accomplish both objectives at the same time. “Right. Iae, Hanji, best of luck. I’ll see what I can do.” Sokutei told them before walking off herself, needing a moment to consider what exactly just happened anyways. >>>To be Continued